Are Mormon Christians?

It has become very important for Mormons to think of themselves as Christian... as just another denomination of Christianity. They don't understand why the rest of Christianity considers the LDS church to be a cult. One of the tools they have created to use in the battle for recognition as Christians is a book by Stephen Robinson called "Are Mormons Christians."

I decided to read this book. It is not very long. Only 114 pages. It is written in simple language that is easy to understand. But I had a tough time getting through it. A part of the foundation of Christianity is truth. Jesus Christ said he was the truth (John 14:16). Not that he told the truth, but the he is truth. I had a tough time getting through this book because Robinson has little regard for the truth. He yanks quotes out of their context, twisting their meaning. He changes quotes. Or, in some cases, just makes them up. But what is really disturbing is that he entirely misses the definition of Christianity.

Over and over he questions why some parts of Christianity accept other parts as being Christian, even though they have differences of doctrine. For example, evangelicals for the most part accept Catholics as Christian. Why then, can not evangelicals accept Mormons as Christian? Sure there are some differences, but there are differences between Catholics and evangelicals.

He totally misses the point that to be a Christian you must believe in Jesus Christ. Using the name of Jesus Christ is not enough. An example I frequently use is a group of guys who are getting a basketball team together to play in a tournament. I'm on their team and that makes them real happy because I'm Michael Jordan. How can they lose? Yes, I'm tall. But I'm white. I'm slow. And I don't play basketball. They can call me Michael Jordon, but I'm not really Michael Jordon.

That is what the LDS church does. They believe in Jesus Christ, but it is a Jesus Christ they have created. A total fiction. Just like I am tall, some of the characteristics of the Mormon Jesus are true. But, just as I won't win the basketball game for you, neither will their Jesus save them. (See Mormon Jesus Christ.)

Evangelicals believe in the true Jesus Christ, Mormons do not. That is the difference.

Catholics believe in the true Jesus Christ, the LDS church does not. That is the difference.

Jesus asked his disciples, "But whom say ye that I am?" Who is the Jesus you believe in? Is he truly Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16), who has existed eternally, who is and always has been fully God?

Jesus Is God

If you were introduced to a tall, bald, black man wearing a jersey that said "Bulls 24" on it, and he was introduced as "Michael Jordan" would you expect him to say, "Hi, I'm a basketball player?" Or could you tell from his name and what you've seen him do that he was a basketball player?

Michael Jordan demonstrated on the court that he was a basketball player. There is no doubt about it. Watch him in action on the court for a few minutes and you knew that he could play basketball.

It's the same with Jesus Christ. He didn't need to proclaim that he is God by saying "I am God.", he did it through his actions.

Read Matthew 9:1-8

"Jesus climbed into a boat and went back across the lake to his own town. Some people brought to him a paralyzed man on a mat. Seeing their faith Jesus said to the paralyzed man, 'Take heart, son! Your sins are forgiven.'"

"'Blasphemy! This man talks like he is God!' some of the teachers of religious law said among themselves."

"Jesus knew what they were thinking, so he asked them, 'Why are you thinking such evil thoughts? Is it easier to say, Your sins are forgiven or Get up and walk? I will prove to you that I, the Son of Man, have the authority on earth to forgive sins.' Then Jesus turned to the paralyzed man and said, 'Stand up, take your mat, and go on home, because you are healed!.'"

"And the man jumped up and went home! Fear swept through the crowd as they saw this happen right before their eyes."

The teachers of religious law knew that only God can forgive sin. Sin is an offense against God, and only the one who has been offended can forgive that offense. Thus only God can forgive sin, and here Jesus was acting as though he could forgive sin... he was acting like God because He is God.

That's why it says that "Jesus knew what they were thinking." This happens numerous times in the Bible, where Jesus knows the thoughts of people. He knows what a disciple is thinking even before he meets him. He knows about the Samaritan woman's life without her telling him. These are things only God can do.

Loving God, Loving Others

I ran into this video on a "progressive" Christianity" web site where it was being denounced. It is a great, energetic video, with a message of love for God and other people.

Is Hell Real?

A George Barna survey revealed that about 76% of Americans believe that heaven exists and 71% believe that hell exists.

How many people think they will go to heaven and how many think they will go to hell? Just 0.5% of Americans think they are headed for hell.

Obviously hell is not a good place to go. What is hell? Is hell a real place? Who is going to hell and who is going to heaven? (Can we know the answer to that question?) Our web site has a counter (provided by Living Waters Ministry) that shows how many people are dying and it states that most of those are going to hell. Why do so few people believe they are heading for hell, yet here is a claim that most are going to hell? Over the next few posts to this blog we will answer these questions.

Let's start with Matthew 5:29-30 -- these verses that tell us how serious Jesus said hell is.

"And if your right eye offend you, pluck it out, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell. And if your right hand offend you, cut it off, and cast it from you: for it is profitable for you that one of your members should perish, and not that your whole body should be cast into hell."

How valuable is one of your eyes? If you were offered $1,000,000 for one of your eyes, would you sell it? What if you were offered $10,000,000 for both of your eyes? Would you sell them? Of course not!! Your eyesight is valuable and precious.

Yet Jesus says that given the choice, the better choice is to give up your eye instead of going to hell.

He then talks about giving up your right hand. One's right hand was much more valuable in Jesus' time than now. For example, without your right hand you could not defend yourself and you would be at the mercy of anyone who wanted to job or kill you. Yet Jesus says that given the choice, the better choice is to give up your right hand instead of going to hell.

Jesus talked more about hell than about heaven. These verses just begin to scratch the surface in revealing to us what hell is like.